retired_mellnet

It sure is hard not to try and rekindle that 'old glory'. I can't start a Game without thinking of adding Clydebank to the league and bring back Stan. Good luck, hope it continues for a long time...


mao

BarryLFC

Young can be a 20 goal a season man in the Conference regional divisions. I'm sure. :thup:

shannon2007

If you don't bring Stan back, I just might

shannon2007

October 2005

Riding on the back of the crest of the FA Cup tie winning wave, a home match against struggling Gainsborough Trinity was just the ticket to keep this mini revival going. An injury to young Ryan Hutchinson had seen him drop of out the team, and veteran Aidan Newhouse had come in and was playing so well up front that he retained his place. Ten minutes into the match with Gainsborough he showed that his managers faith was justified as he sent the Avenue into the lead. After that the match went a bit cold, and just on the hour Gainsborough levelled. The performance was still far from great, but few teams have Jason Young and with twenty minutes to go he struck what turned out to be the winner and the Avenue were rising up the table.

An away match with another team floating around near the basement, and chairman Redmond demanded that the Avenue must deliver all three points at Stalybridge as he couldn't have his side lose to any team called Celtic. Mind you, the idea of a Celtic side playing in red, white and blue was rather amusing. Two minutes into the match, and the Avenue were ahead, Jason Young's 7th goal of a season that was slowly but surely getting better and better. Seven minutes from half time, Young bagged goal number eight, but on the stroke of half time Stalybridge pulled themselves back into things after careless Avenue defending. The second half was a dour struggle, and with fifteen minutes to play, disaster struck as Jason Young had to go off with an injured ankle and the news later was that he would be out for up to two months. Just as he was starting to find his eye as well, which had apparantly gone missing.

With Jason Young having to sit in the stand with a plaster on his ankle, 38 year old Steven Whitehall had to start up front away to Gorlestone in the FA Cup. Even without Young, this should still be an easy match for the Avenue but with eleven minutes gone the even lower league side found themselves ahead. Try as they might, as the match wore on so the Avenue players just did not have the guile to break down the stubborn home defence and without the skill - or more truthfully, luck - of Jason Young, there was no cutting edge and rather sadly the Avenue bowed out of the FA Cup for this season. Redmond was far from amused.

As Young remained missing at home to Hednesford, so the goals would need to come from somewhere if the Avenue's recent surge up the table was to continue. Eight minutes into the match and the home fans were already tearing their hair out in frustration as Hednesford went ahead. Nine minutes later though, right winger Quinn showed that there is life after Jason as he pulled the match level and six minutes into the second half it was he who sent the home side ahead. Aidan Newhouse made the points secure thirteen minutes from the end and then in injury time Steve Whitehall decided that he better actually show what he can do if he wanted to stay in the team and in the end a fairly comfortable win to make up the FA Cup exit and make everyone wonder what all the fuss was about way back in August.

Exactly what all the fuss was about way back in August was quite clearly shown as the Avenue went to Alfreton and got their arses kicked 3-0. There was nothing at all to take from this mind numbingly crap performance. It was just 'one of those days' - and it better not happen too often. For striker Alex Nesovic, it was also 'one of those days' as he decided he couldn't be arsed to turn up for training. Redmond decided that he couldn't be arsed paying the player and promptly terminated his contract. Harsh, but probably very fair.

To replace Nesovic, and especially because Young was showing no signs of being back any time soon, Redmond told Green to buy another striker, and so in came Port Vale reserve player 19 year old Mark Hall. A reasonably promising youngsters, Hall went straight into the team for the home match with Hucknall and two fine second half goals saw all three points stay with the Avenue and a new hero was born. Jason Young would have a fight on his hands if this kept up.

At the end of the month the Avenue lay 4th in the table and although there was still a lot of improvement to be made in some areas of the team, and it was way to early to talk about being safe from relegation or even winning promotion, there was certainly a much happier and more positive atmosphere around Horsfall.

shannon2007

November 2005

With the FA Cup gone for another season, the League was the priority and sustaining their position in the Conference North was a must. With Jason Young still missing for the trip to Barrow, Mark Hall failed to produce his debut form and the side went down to a narrow 1-0 loss. A setback, but not a total disaster. And the FA Cup may well have gone, but there was also still the FA Trophy to be lifted and this was surely a much better chance to bring home some silverware.

A home tie with Tiptree United in the 2nd Qualifying round gave the Avenue the tags of favourites. This should have been a comfortable stroll on a cool dry afternoon but as the match went on so the home fans could feel their frustration growing and on 42 minutes their fears became reality as Tiptree took a shock lead. With the Avenue offering very little up front, the lower league side were able to just sit back and defend their slender lead and when the final whistle, the Avenue found themselves out of another tournament before it had even begun. Redmond was not a happy Chairman.

But as the old adage goes, with the cups out of the way, the League could be concentrated on and a home match with Lancaster City provided the perfect opportunity to put three more valuable points on the board. With just eleven minutes gone though, there was more frustration for the Avenue support as Lancaster went ahead. Both sides though were as bad as each other, and it was little surprise when Aidan Newhouse levelled things on 26 minutes. The Avenue were slowly gaining control and two minutes after the break Mark Hall grabbed his third goal for the club. As the match entered stoppage time, so all three points seemed destined for Horsfall, until Steve Skinner nipped in and stole a point for Lancaster.

Jason Young was finally back for the trip to Leigh RMI, and after just eleven minutes he scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game and fully vindicate the chairman's belief in him. Unfortunately for the chairman and for Young, the player aggravated a calf injury and would be out for another month or so. Yet with 14 matches now played, the Avenue sat in a decent 6th place with 23 points, just four adrift of league leaders Hednesford and 13 clear of the relegation zone. It would need a lot more consistancy - and probably a lot less injuries to Jason Young - if the Avenue were to gain promotion, but if at the end of the season they were to end 6th then surely even the grumpy chairman could not be too unhappy at that?

retired_brinker317

I look at FMS for the first time in ages (laziness and busy-ness ) - and you've signed Robert Codner :cool: :cool:

Brighton. God.

Good luck with this :thup:

retired_brinker317

And as for;

The latter. He was absolutley awful, consistently rubbish at Brighton.

retired_milla0225

As he was at Chester. Couldn't believe it when Wimbledon gave us alot of money for him (well alot of money for Chester anyway).